Optical systems are becoming more prevalent in modern communications systems as the demand for high-speed and high-efficiency communications increases. Optical systems can employ lasers to generate optical signals. Typical semiconductor lasers can emit photons based on recombining positive and negative electrical carriers in an active region. In the case of electrically driven lasers, this process is in response to generating a current through respective positive and negative doped regions and metal electrodes in the laser. The concentration of the positive and negative carriers can be controlled in the active region, such as based on the magnitude of the current. As a result, a typical laser can be modulated to change wavelength and/or intensity based on the magnitude of the current through the active region of the laser.